An Andheri resident attempted suicide after he was booked for allegedly outraging a woman’s modesty earlier this month.
The man in turn has alleged that the case against him was due to his refusal to pose for a photograph when some local BJP workers were distributing food packets in his area.
Food distribution
Babu Dhangar, a resident of Savera Tare chawl in Andheri West, gives private tuitions to Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) students. Mr. Dhangar told The Hindu that on April 4, three BJP workers came to their area to distribute food packets and insisted that recipients pose for pictures with them.
“I requested them to not take our picture while distributing the food since my family, including my mother and two brothers, were uncomfortable with this. The three workers, including a woman, started fighting with us. On April 5, I was arrested and charged with outraging a woman’s modesty. I was later released on a bail of ₹17,000 and asked to be present at the police station on April 12,” he said.
On the night of April 11, Mr. Dhangar tried to take his life and was rushed on a scooter to Cooper Hospital in Vile Parle.
Mr. Dhangar later filed an FIR against the three BJP workers, and the police has booked all of them for assault and criminal intimidation under the IPC.
When contacted, senior police inspector Someshwar Kamthe said, “We have registered complaints against both parties and are in the process of verifying their claims.”
